Mortality Of An Immortal
by Moon Witch '96
Summary: The Unicorn was not the only immortal who could regret. One-shot. Please Read And Review.


**Mortality Of An Immortal**

Time passed much more slower within the violet wood, she thought. Before she had never really felt, what was a year, a decade, a century to one such as her? The feeling of mortality, and the feeling of a dying body lingered, and because of it, the one day she was within here felt longer than her lifetime. It was a saddening, almost, regretting thought, and it was enough for her to ignore the call of those animals of her woods, greeting her, even those of who had never known her on the day of her departure, but they recognized the familiar magic that was her, something etched into the land bellow them for the centuries that she had spent here.

Those brave enough approached her, with fumbling paws and trembling hooves, as if to doubt her appearance after her absence. She felt shame enter her, knowing for the sake of her kind she had left them, and knew for the sake of herself, she would leave again. She had only returned to feel the same air as before, trying to remember that feeling of no regret, of being nothing but the sake of living and being herself. She lowered her head, walking as softly as only those of her kind could, telling them goodbye without another word... She froze, as she heard the rustle of leaves and the beating of coppery wings, and turned to see the horrid face of her immortal sister, Celaeno. She seemed to grin at her, the molded corners of her beak turned up right and the corners of her flashing eyes creased.

"_My sister, what troubles one pure such as you?_"she said in her horrible voice, as deep as the crevice she had come from, and just as hellish.

The Unicorn, Amalthea as she had began to call herself, said no words to her sister, and gave a bitter laugh in return instead.

"_I see that the liberation of those like you has changed you, young one._"said the harpy, voice softening.

"What do you know of change Celaeno? You have remained the same for longer than I have been alive."she said softly.

"_Mortality has the infuriating knack of changing us. I have seen such a thing happen again and again to those immortals like us, and will see it for many more years. It has happened to you. I feel mortality within your undying body, little sister._"

Amalthea said nothing again and looked to the moon.

"I feel regret."she said softly, after a long moment.

Calaeno laughed, a laugh terrible and sweet at the same time.

"_Ah. Mortal's love._"said the Harpy, laughing yet again.

There was not hatred, nor heat, nor true mirth in her laugh. It was a bitter laugh just as Amalthea's own.

"How do you know of such things?"she asked.

The Harpy laughed again, and bowed her ugly head.

"_Little sister, you are not the only one who has been tainted with such a curse. I was young when the __world of humen's was born, and a fool to wander so close. Mommy Fortuna was not the only human to hold me, her claim was an empty one... Only he was much kinder, and only did it at my acceptance. And then he died, and his magic with him. I could not even die as he did, trapped within this body full of such regret._"she said it, voice so faint that even her ears could hardly hear.

"Our love is stronger than even those who were meant to love, big sister."said Amalthea.

Calaeno raised her great head, and looked at her with those flashing eyes, full of regret, just as her violet eyes must have been full of.

"_Indeed. What, Unicorn, is your name now? The name that will carry your feelings?_"

"Amalthea." if she could have smiled, like before, she would have.

"_Well then, my little sister, Amalthea, I wish you luck in your regret. I can only say that the years, no matter how slow, eases your regret. I bid you farewell_."with her terrible voice, gentle as it could ever be, Calaeno left in a great beat of her coppery wings.

Amalthea closed her violet eyes, feeling the lingering, bitter wind that Calaeno had left touching her flesh like a comforting embrace. She could still see his eyes. Blue as the sky and warm as the sun, set in the face that was handsome and had enchanted her mortal, frighten self. The way he had spoken to her; _'I love whom I love'... _It lingered with her. Everything from that time was with her, and would stay for as long as she lived. And the fact that she could not have him, that she could not stay with him, be as he was and die as what he was, lingered with her. The mortal emotion of love was etched into her immortal body, and because of it, would always be with her. It was her one flaw, her one sorrow and regret.

But, despite everything, Amalthea could feel no regret for the regret within her. It was her proof, her triumph for the liberation of those who were her own species. And just as she had told Schemendrick, she could fell no sorrow at her ordeal, save for one. And that one was what made her, in her own eyes, much more alive than those like her...


End file.
